---
layout: docs
page_title: slice - Functions - Configuration Language
description: The slice function extracts some consecutive elements from within a list.
---

# `slice` Function

`slice` extracts some consecutive elements from within a list.

```hcl
slice(list, startindex, endindex)
```

`startindex` is inclusive, while `endindex` is exclusive. This function returns
an error if either index is outside the bounds of valid indices for the given
list.

## Examples

```shell-session
> slice(["a", "b", "c", "d"], 1, 3)
[
  "b",
  "c",
]
```

## Related Functions

- [`substr`](/nomad/docs/reference/hcl2/functions/string/substr) performs a similar function for characters in a
  string, although it uses a length instead of an end index.
